Family-owned leather company has skin in NFL games

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CHICAGO - Okay football fans, pop quiz. Who would you say will have the most skin in Sunday's big game? Before you get to guessing, we'll give you a hint. It's not a player, but all players count on it to win.

We're talking about the football, specifically its leather skin which is made from cowhide. Before those skins hit the field in the Golden State, they're made in the Windy City --- Chicago.

The family-owned Horween Leather Company is Chicago's last tannery, and has been making leather since 1905.

"I think we've tried and succeeded to make a better product," said Skip Horween, president of Horween Leather Company.

Making that product is quite a process. First, get that animal hair shaved off the cowhide. Then it has to be tanned, dried, and pressed to give it the texture you feel. You can't leave out the coloring process.

After it's sprayed and brushed, it's ready to be shipped to the Wilson Football factory in Ohio.